Lujan lauds move by drug-maker to cap cost of inhalers

Mar. 17—Drugmaker Boehringer Ingelheim said that it would cap patient copays for all of its inhalers at $35 starting on June 1. The company also announced that it will lower the list price of some of its inhalers, which are used in chronic lung disease and asthma treatment.

U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., joined Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, or HELP, in applauding the announcement.

The announcement comes on the heels of the Jan. 8 HELP Committee investigation into the four major manufacturers of inhalers and their alleged efforts to manipulate prices. Along with Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeniec, GlaxoSmithKline and Teva typically charge between $200 and $600 for inhaler products, senators said in launching the investigation.

"With millions of Americans relying on inhalers every day, families should not be forced to pay extremely high costs compared to those abroad," Luján said in a statement. " ... This move is a significant step in the right direction and I will continue working with Chairman Sanders and my colleagues to continue lowering inhaler costs for the American people."